Sustainable tourism a win-win for nature conservation and the economy

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity. Key elements to achieve sustainable tourism include appropriate planning, regulating and monitoring of tourist activities, as well as the involvement of local communities, for example through training activities and providing access to credit schemes, so they can set up small tourism businesses. The Ibera Marches in Argentina and Lake Nakuru in Kenya, are two examples that illustrate how practicing sustainable tourism has delivered a two-fold benefit for nature conservation and economic development.

¿Es la sostenibilidad un buen negocio turístico? Participantes en Expotur nos cuentan

A la marca Costa Rica como destino turístico, el Instituto Costarricense de Turismo ha adjuntado  la sostenibilidad, pero, ¿resulta ser esto un buen negocio para los empresarios turísticos? Algunas compañías participantes en Expotur 2013 nos dijeron lo siguiente:

• Selva Bananito Lodge (5 hojas del Certificado para la Sostenibilidad Turística, CST): las agencias de viaje, principalmente las europeas, quieren saber qué herramientas de sostenibilidad se están aplicando porque están interesadas en vender productos certificados, y el sello lo que hace es demostrar los esfuerzos que ha realizado el hotel desde su origen.

Caribbean moves to ensure a sustainable tourism product

The economies of many Caribbean Islands depend on tourism. As a result, there’s been much emphasis on sustainable tourism.

The region’s umbrella body for tourism – the Caribbean Tourism Organization –CTO recently held its 14 Sustainable Tourism Conference –STC-14 in Trinidad and Tobago.

So, I asked the Chair of CTO, Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty of the US Virgin Islands, what came out of that meeting.